Question reference: S5W-17894
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 27 July 2018
-
Current status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 24 August 2018
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-17582 by Jeane Freeman on 23 July 2018, in light of protective clothing not being available on prescription for people with the rare skin disorder Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP), whether it will answer the question that was asked and set out the process to request clothing, such as Protex Elle UV protective gloves, approved by the specialist XP clinical team at St Thomas’ Hospital in London, to be made available on prescription for patients with this condition and other extreme UV conditions/diseases.
Answer
Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a rare, hereditary skin disorder affecting 1 in 250,000 people. Specialist UV protective clothing is not available on prescription for people with rare genetic skin disorders such as XP. Only drugs and devices included on the Scottish Drug Tariff can be prescribed by an appropriate health care professional.
With regards to the process, it is for the manufacturers of medicines and devices to consider submitting their products for inclusion in the Scottish Drug Tariff based on their business and commercial operations. Any medicine or device shall only be included in the Scottish Drug Tariff following an appropriate assessment including the clinical benefits and cost effectiveness.
Local prescribing formularies are put in place by the NHS Board and are based on range of issues including the local general population, prevalence, clinical decisions and appropriateness for the patient concerned.
As explained in my answer to S5W-17582 on 23 July 2018, the treatment and supervision for this condition is highly specialised and is best delivered through specialist hospital services which can provide expert advice to fit the particular needs of the patient concerned.
All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .